Farmers risk death by not knowing what to do when experiencing chest pain

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Farmers are at high risk of dying from heart attacks because they are not sure what to do when they experience chest pain. In a pilot study of 186 agricultural workers in rural Victoria, Deakin medical researchers assessed the farmer’s knowledge of chest pain treatment, local emergency services and their likely response to chest pain.

The majority of participants were at high risk of acute coronary events, such as angina and heart attacks, with 61 per cent of the men and 74 per cent of the women either overweight or obese.

When asked to name their nearest emergency department (ED), 10 per cent nominated health services or towns where no ED existed. And 67 per cent of participants believed it was safe to travel to hospital by car while potentially having a heart attack.